Tape puller



March 7,1933. E. H. UNKLES TAPE FULLER Original Filed March 15, 1928 Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE EDWARD H. UNKLES, OF WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY, .ASSIGN'OR TO TRANS LUX DAY- LIGHT PICTURE SCREEN CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION 01 DELAWARE TAPE FULLER Application filed March 15, 1928, Serial No. 261,990. Renewed May 20, 1932.

This invention relates to means for feeding a tape and more particularlyto feedingatape ejected from a tion system.

It is an object of this invention to provlde a tape feeding means controlled by the tension of the tape and independent of the motor actuating means for said tape feeding means. 1

A further object of this invention is to provide a feeding means adapted to feed a tape under a predetermined tension and to slip or be rendered ineffective when the tension of the tape is greaterthan the predetermined value.

Another object of this invention is to provide means to eliminate the pull or strain on the data-recording device when the tension of the tape has increased.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means controlled by the variations in a loop of tape to stop the movement of the tape when the tension thereof has increased, and to eliminate as much as possible any pull or strain placed on the data-recording apparatus by said tension.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description and. claims and the stock ticker through a projecaccompanying drawing which form a part of this specification and in which: a

Figure 1 is an elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention and showing the optical system diagrammatically.

igure 2 is a cross-sectional view of my improved feeding means.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of my improved feed mechanism, and j Figure 4 is a modification of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 showing the means to stop the tape when the tension has increased and to eliminate the pull or strain on the ticker.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, 1 designates a data-recording device such as a standard ticker mechanism, shown in this case as a Western Union stock ticker, al-- 1s placed upon a stand 2to allow its accurate is usually split into halves perpendicular to one of the halves carrying a common axis, letters on its periphery and the other carryingnumerals. The two hammers 172. and 1k are disposed below these two wheels, so that, when either of the two hammers is raised, the tape will be pressed against the type wheel and receive the impression of either a numeral or a letter depending upon which hammer is raised. The type wheel 1d is inked continuously by the ink-saturated felt roll 1 which is in contact with times. A

In operation, the mechanism of the ticker rotates the type wheel 105 until the desired character is presented downward to the opening in the guard 17. The projecting wire 1112. is then moved by suitable mechanism, not

the type wheel at all shown, so as to engage the downward projec-' tion of either the hammer lb. or the hammer 1k exclusively, and it is then moved upwards forcing the tape into contact with the type to receive the impression. The hammer is then allowed to drop and the feed rolls 1b and 1c are then actuated to feed the tape forward by the width of one character after which the cycle is repeated.

The tape is intermittentlyejected from the ticker and forms a loop 5 and is drawn to a friction the gear 15.-

45 pulling roller 10 and is also 28 is connected to 5 caused to slip or to be rendered ineffective until the tension is lessened to such a degree that the pulling or feeding member will rotate and feed the tape.

The feeding or pulling means, herein describing one embodiment of my invention,

comprises a pulling roller 10 loosely mounted on a shaft 11, as hereinafter explained, and having in cooperative relation thereto a pressure roller 12. The shaft 11 is part of the 15 motor mechanism and is continuously driven by the motor 13 through the worm 1 1 and A sleeve 16 is securely fastened, by means of a screw 17, to the shaft 11 and continuously rotates therewith. At

one end thereof, the sleeve 16 carries a wheel 18 having a serrated or toothed periphery 19, and it is through this wheel and other mechanism, described hereafter, that the rotation of the shaft 11 is transmitted to the pulling roll 10.

A wheel 20, by means of a sleeve 21, is loosely mounted on the sleeve 16, and it is to this wheel 20 through a pawl member 22 of a bell-crank lever 23 when the pawl mem her is in locking engagement with the wheel 18, that the rotation of the shaft 11 is intermittently transmitted. The bell-crank lever 23 1s pivotally mounted at 24 on wheel v2O. As prevlously pointed out the bell-crank lever 23 has a pawl member 22 at the end of one arm thereof and is adapted. to engage the serrated or toothed surface 19 of the wheel 18, thereby locking wheel 18 to wheel 20 and causing the former to rotate the latter.

In the other arm of the bell-crank lever 23, there is a slot 25 which is adapted to coact with a pin 27 fixedly mounted on a drum 28. The drum 28 is integrally connected to the loosely mounted on the shaft 11 through the sleeves 16 and 21. The drum 28 is hollow and open on one side. It isso disposed that the open end thereof is adjacent the wheel 20. This drum wheel 20 in any suitable manner by means of a spiral spring 29. As pointed out above, drum 28 is loosely mounted on the shaft 11 and it is by means of this spring thatfree rotation thereof is prevented. It may, however, turn on sleeve 16 to the limit of the spring 29.

In operation, the shaft 11, and the wheel 18 fastened thereto, are continuously driven by the motor mechanism. When the tension of the tape is such that it allows the pulling roller 10 to be effective, the pawl member 22 of the bell crank 23 engages on the serrated or toothed periphery 19 of wheel 18,

thereby locking wheel 18 to wheel 20 (as shown in Figure 3 in full lines) and causing the two wheels to rotate together.

Due to the spring 29 connecting drum 28 and wheel 20, the rotation of the latter is transmitted to the former. Thus the wheel 18, the wheel 20 and the drum 28 rotate together and the rotation thereof is transmitted to pulling roller 10. If the pulling mechanism has taken up the tape faster than it was ejected from the ticker the tension of the tape will be increased. The increase in tension of the tape will tend to retard, stop or prevent the rotation of the pulling roll 10 and therefore the drum 28. Since wheel 20 is locked to the continuously rotating wheel 18, the wheel 20 will continue to rotate. During this rotation, due to the pin 27 mounted on the drum 28, now momentarily stationary, and the slot 25, the pawl end 22 of the bellcrank lever 23 will be lifted or raised from its locking position and assume the position shown in the dotted lines in Figure 3.

WVhen the bell-crank lever 23 is in this position, the, wheel 20 is not locked to the continuously rotating wheel 18 and no motion is transmitted to the loosely mounted wheel 20, the drum 28 and the pulling roll 10. In other words, the pulling roll 10 is rendered ineffective. This condition exists until the tension of the tape is relieved. Upon release of the tension in the tape, the drum 28 is urged forward by the spring 29 and, in so travelling, the bell-crank lever 23, due to the pin 27 and the slot 25, is caused to assume the position illustrated in the full lines in Figure 3, whereby the wheel 18 is again locked to wheel 20 and the rotation thereof is transmitted to the pulling roll 10 through the drum 28. It is thus seen that I have devised a feeding mechanism which is rendered ineffective when the tension of the tape is increased without stopping the motor mechanism. In other words, the continuous motion of the motor drive mechanism is transmitted intermittently to the pulling or feeding mechanism.

In order to prevent the intermittent jerky motion of the tape as it leaves the ticker from being transmitted to the tape on the table, I dispose a tension device adjacent the end of the table next the ticker so as to hold the tape resiliently in contact therewith. This tension device is exemplified by a curved or J-shaped spring 30 supported as by a bracket 31 and acting as a brake on the tape by contacting with the tape at its middle portion. Of course, the spring may he made so as to contact with the tape in any other portion other than that here specifically set forth. The braking action of this member is sufficient to prevent the tape from being pushed along the table by the same force which ejects it from the ticker, but is insufficient to prevent the tape from being I will lower,

' member,

pulled along the table by the tractive feedmg or pulling means.

From Eigure 1 and the above descrlptlon, itis seen that a pull or strain is put on the data-recording devicewhen the tension of the tape is increased. If this pull or strain on the ticker is desired to be eliminated, there may be mounted adjacent the brake or tension means a member 32 adapted to stop the motion of the tape and prevent any strain or pull from being placed on the ticker when the tension is increased. This member is made of a light material. It is pivotally mounted at 33 in such a manner that one end 34 loosely rides on the loop of the tape and the other end 35 is adjacent the tape and normally out of contact therewith.

In operation, when the loop is of suflicient length the arm 34 of the member 32 will ride thereon and the other end 35 will be out of contact with the tape. If, however, the loop is shortened, the arm 34 riding thereon will be raised and, due to the manner in which the member is mounted, theend 35 will come into contact with the tape. This contacting of the end 35 and the tape ment of the tape through the system and will prevent any strain from being put on the ticker, until the loop is built up to such an extent that the arm 34 of this member 32 thereby raising the end 35 from the tape and allowing the tape to be moved. The end 35 may be made in any shape or size. I have, however, found that satisfactory results are obtained if this end is made round and formed in a cam-like surface as illustrated. I have alsofound that satisfactory stopping effects may be obtained if the contacting cam-like surface is made thin and so positioned that it contacts only at the middle portion of the tape. Furthermore, if I desire to increase the tractive efi'ect uof this I may make this cam surface knurled, roughened or the like. It is obvious that this member may be made to con- Eact with the tape at various points on the ape.

In the operation of the apparatus the tape 1s printed and ejected'intermittently from the ticker in the usual manner and is fed through the, projection position on the table by means of the feeding means operated by the motor. The movement of the tape at the point where it is ejected from the ticker is l intermittent and jerky. The loop permits the tape to be thus ejected intermittently and 'fed through the projection position in such a manner as to give a substantially smooth projection, the difference in motion being taken up in the loop.

The tension device definitely terminates the loop at the table and effectually prevents the variations in the loop from being transmitted to the tape on the table. These variations obviously extend to the intermittent,

will stop the move-- roll will rotate and feed or pull'the tapethrough the apparatus. When the loop is decreased in size,'the cam surface of the member is brought into contact with the paper and the movement of the tape therethrough is stopped and no pull or strain 1s put on the ticker. The tension of the tape being increased, the feeding means is rendered ineffective or caused to slip, as above described, until the loop has been built up so that the cam member is removed from contact with the paper and the tension is lessened to such a degree that it will permit the feeding of the tape through the device. Thus, it is seen that the feeding is controlled by the means independently and apart from the motor.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications in the apparatus may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, and I do not intend to limit myself except by the appended claims.

. claim 1. In a tape feeding mechanism, means to stop the movement of the tape independent of the feeding means, said means comprising a pivoted member having one arm thereof controlled by the variations in a loop of the tape whereby the other arm is caused to impede movement of the tape.

2. In a tape feeding mechanism, means to stop the movement of the tape independent of the feeding means, said means comprising a pivoted member having one arm thereof controlled by the variations in a loop of the tape, whereby the other arm is caused to impede movement of the tape, said second recited arm having a cam surface.

3. A tape feed mechanism comprising a continuously operating motor mechanism, a shaft operated by said motor mechanism, a Wheel fastened on said shaft, a wheel loosey mounted on said shaft, a drum loosely mounted on said shaft and connected to said second-named wheel, a feed roller connected to said drum together whereby the motion of the continuously operating wheel is transmitted to the pulling roll.

4. A tape feed mechanism comprising a continuously operating motor mechanism,a shaft operated by said motor mechanism, a wheel fastened on said shaft, a wheel loosely mounted on said shaft, a drum loosely mountand means to lock said wheels ed on said shaft and connected to said second-named wheel, a feed roller connected to said drum, and means to lock said wheels together whereby the motion of the continuously operating wheel is transmitted to the pulling roll, said locking means controlled by the tension in the tape.

5. A tape feed mechanism comprising a continuously operating motor mechanism, a shaft operated by said motor mechanism, a wheel fastened on said shaft, a wheel loosely mounted on said shaft, a drum loosely mounted on said shaft and connected to said second-named wheel, a feed roller connected to said drum, means to lock said wheels together whereby the motion of the continuously operating wheel is transmitted to the pulling roll, said locking means comprising a pawl, and means on said drum to actuate said pawl.

6. A tape feed mechanism comprising a continuously operating motor mechanism, a shaft operated by said motor mechanism, a wheel fastened on said shaft, a wheel loosely mounted on said shaft, a drum loosely mounted on said shaft and connected to said second-named wheel, a feed roller connected to said drum, and means to lock said wheels together whereby the motion of the continuously operating wheel is transmitted to the pulling roll, said locking means comprising a bell-crank lever having a pawl on an arm thereof and a slot in the other arm adapted to cooperate with a pin mounted on said drum.

7. In combination, means for pulling an indicia-bearing tape through a projection field after ejection thereof by a ticker, a motor, a slippable clutch between said tapeulling means and said motor, there being a tape loop of varying length between said ticker and said projection field, and a movable member between said ticker and said projection field, said movable member ascending and descending but remaining constantly in contact with the bottom of said,

tape loop, said movable member when elevated to predetermined extent effecting the anchoring of said tape whereby the clutch between said tape-pulling means and said motor slips during continuous operation of the latter.

8. In combination, means for pulling an indicia-bearing tape through a projection field after ejection thereof by a ticker, a motor, a slippable clutch between said tapepulling means and said motor, there being a tape loop of varying length between said ticker and said projection field, and a movable member between said ticker and said projection field, said movable member ascending under tape control when the tape loop shortens and descending under the influence of gravity when the tape loop lengthens, said movable member when elevated to predetermined extent effecting the anchoring of said tape whereby the clutch between said and said projection field, said movable member riding on the tape and holding it against said surface, said movable member being controlled by shortening of the tape loop to effect operation of the anchoring means.

In testimony whereof, I have atlixed my signature to this s ecification.

EBWARD H. UNKLES. 

